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Veterans

Government has few more sacred obligations than caring for the men and women who have served and sacrificed for our country. When you hear the stories of our veterans, you know that we owe them a debt we cannot ever repay. But we can and must try.

If you require assistance in dealing with the VA, please call my office at (203)333-6600 or (866)453-0028.

If you are in distress, thinking of harming yourself, or know a veteran who is, please immediately call the Veterans Crisis Line at (800)273-8255.

Improved Access to Care

I have been actively pursuing answers, calling for increased accountability, and seeking solutions to the underlying problems in order to improve the VA system for our veterans. Click here to read more…

Improved Access to Benefits

The state of the VA claims process is improving but has a long way to go to be considered acceptable. Click here to read more…

Improved Access to Educational Opportunities

I have supported legislation that makes it easier for veterans to use their earned educational benefits and seek training and college degrees that allow them to directly enter the work force. Click here to read more…

Sharing Your Story

I encourage local veterans to participate in the Veterans History Project, a campaign organized by the Library of Congress that seeks to preserve the stories of veterans throughout the country as part of the national archive. Click here to read more…

Government has few more sacred obligations than caring for the men and women who have served and sacrificed for our country. When you hear the stories of our veterans, you know that we owe them a debt we cannot ever repay. But we can and must try.

Washington, DC — Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) issued the following statement today after voting for bipartisan legislation to address the epidemic of suicide among our nation’s veterans. The bill, called the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act, passed the House of Representatives with strong support.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jim Himes, Congressman John B. Larson, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Congressman Joe Courtney, and Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty released a letter sent this week to U.S. Senate Leadership urging the confirmation of Commissioner Linda Schwartz as the Assistant Secretary of Veteran Affairs for Policy and Planning. In their letter, the Members address the vital need for qualified leadership at the Veteran Affairs Department in the wake of recently reported misconduct.

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) released the following statement regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Inspector General’s preliminary report, which stated at least 1,700 veterans were never scheduled for an appointment or placed on a wait list at the VA medical center in Phoenix and that 42 VA medical centers across the country are also now under investigation.

WASHINGTON, DC –Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki announced his department would conduct “face to face” audits of all VA medical facilities, including those in Connecticut, following reports of falsified wait lists and widespread treatment delays at VA medical facilities, including allegations up to 40 veterans may have died while waiting for treatment in Phoenix, Arizona.